


A Mother's Love

by lj_todd



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Confrontations, F/F, F/M, Family, Family Secrets, Hurt/Comfort, Lies, Multi, Past Character Death, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 10:07:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6749254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lj_todd/pseuds/lj_todd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elia's heart was breaking and she could have simply strangled Cersei Lannister.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Mother's Love

Elia's heart was breaking and she could have simply strangled Cersei Lannister.

Her precious little boy, her beautiful little wolf pup, wouldn't come near her, wouldn't so much as look at her.

All because that hateful lioness had told him the truth.

A truth she and Rhaegar had decided to withhold until Jon was old enough to understand, to accept, it.

Seven summers was far too young for him to understand that, while she was not his mother, she loved him just as much as she loved his brother and sister. He was angry and hurting and wouldn't accept any form of comfort from her or from his father who, much differently than her, received scowls and icy glares from their youngest. She could still hear Jon's shouts when, during dinner near a week ago, Rhaegar had asked him what was wrong when the boy sat poking his food rather than eating.

_"You lied to me! You said she was my mother! She's not! My mother's dead! You lied! You both lied!"_

Elia knew that both Aegon and Rhaenys had tried to approach Jon but he wouldn't have it. He kept pushing them away too. Uncertain whether to believe their declarations that they hadn't known the truth either. Where once he had been so close to his brother, always at Aegon's side, always his right hand, Jon was now cold and distant.

While Rhaegar held small council, handling matters of state, Elia was left to deal with the building storm that was her youngest.

She found Jon in his room, sitting on the floor amongst the chaos of a tantrum thrown by a boy who didn't have any other outlet for his rage, his pain, and she drew a deep breath before approaching him.

"Hello, little pup," she said softly, not wanting this conversation to dissolve into another shouting match. She wasn't surprised when he didn't respond or that he turned his head away from her, hiding his face in his arms to avoid having to acknowledge her.

"Oh my sweet boy." She gently ran her fingers through his hair, not surprised when he twitched, trying to pull away without actually moving from where he was. "I know...I know you are angry and hurt but...but we did not keep things from you to do that, little pup."

Jon grunted but said nothing so Elia pressed on.

"Your mother...Lyanna...I loved her very much," she explained, still running her fingers through Jon's hair. "She was so very strong, little pup, just like you. When she..." She bit her lip, fighting back tears, fighting to keep her voice even. "When she died, bringing you into the world, it was both the hardest and greatest day of my life."

Jon peeked at her from beneath his curls and she took that as a positive sign and kept talking.

"My heart was breaking, for the loss of her, that she would never get to see you grow, that you would never know her but through our words, our memories." 

Elia rubbed her thumb over his temple. 

"But I was happy because, while I lost someone I loved, there was still a piece of her in the world. I didn't raise and love you out of guilt or obligation, Jon. I did it because I loved your mother and I love you. You are my son as much as Aegon, little pup. You will _always_ be my son."

She leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

"I know you need time, Jon. Time to...to understand, to accept, all of this." She smiled as he once more peeked up at her. "But I want you to know that I will always be here for you. I will wait, however long it takes, for you to be alright with all of this." She kissed his forehead and her smile grew. "I love you, little pup."

Without another word she rose and walked from the room, glancing back only once, finding Jon had not moved but, surprisingly, he had lifted his head and his eyes, Lyanna's eyes, watched her with such an unreadable expression that it threw to his father. She gave him a final smile before slipping from the room, letting the door close quietly behind her. She knew, and accepted, that Jon would need time. She had told him the truth. She would give him all the time he needed. And she would never stop loving him.

She made it halfway down the hall when, unexpectedly, a little body came barrelling into her from behind, arms wrapping tightly about her midsection.

The Queen did not need to turn, did not need to look over her shoulder, to know it was Jon.

She covered his hands with hers and smiled as he whispered.

"I love you too, Mama."


End file.
